Chapter 150

Chapter 150
Ethan had paced the length of the balcony, his eyes set on the front door. For weeks, Olivia had gotten into the routine of slipping out late in the night to take "a walk," but tonight he was sure that he had seen that spark in her eyes before the excuse tumbled from her lips. There was more to it.

He froze as the door creaked open, and Olivia stepped out, clasping her coat tightly to her. With no backward glance, she set off down the street at a brisk pace. Ethan grasped his jacket and followed at a distance so he wouldn't catch up with her fast.

"What the hell are you up to, Olivia?" he muttered, with his heart pounding in his chest.

The chill air nipped at his skin, but he barely noticed. His head whirled, filtering back through every recent contact he'd had with Olivia, how distant she had become and secretive. He thought he knew her, what she was capable of doing. But now, he wasn't so sure.

Olivia whipped around the corner into a dark alley; her pace quickened. Ethan hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to turn back. But he couldn't. He needed answers.

He pressed his back against the rough brick wall, peering around the corner. Olivia approached a rusted building, its windows shattered, the door hanging slightly ajar. She looked over her shoulder, and Ethan ducked back, holding his breath.

He peered out at the creak of the door again, and then she was gone inside. Ethan set his jaw and followed on silent feet over the cracked pavement.

The building was damp concrete and rusted metal. Dancing shadows against the walls gave him the heebie-jeebies, while from deeper in came a soft whisper. The heartbeat quickened in Ethan's veins as he moved closer, head cocked to catch the voices.

"I want to see my mommy," a small, shaking voice spoke.

Ethan's heart skidded to a stop. Luca.

He inched forward, ducking behind a stack of bags. Olivia knelt before the boy, an expression so soft it looked out of place on her face.

"Soon, darling. But not yet. You have to wait for mommy to behave." she said, stroking his hair.

Luca stared into my face, his eyes circular with confusion. "But why am I here? Mommy will be looking  for me.”

"She is," Olivia said softly. "But she's dangerous right now. You don't understand, darling. We're keeping you safe."

"Boiling with anger, Ethan appeared from the shadows." "Safe? That's how you justify this?"

"Olivia leaped up out of her bending position and twirled around. "Ethan!”

"Don't 'Ethan' me," that low rumble growled, echoing back to himself, "You kidnapped him, Again."

Olivia's face went hard. "It's not what you think."

"Oh, it's exactly what I think," Ethan bit out. "Explain. Right now."

She crossed her arms, defiance in her posture. "We needed leverage. Bernice is getting too close. She knows too much. If she talks to Rafael, everything we've built will collapse."

Ethan listened to this with incredulity. "So your solution was to kidnap her son again? You're insane."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," Olivia shot back, her voice rising. "Do you really think she'll stop? She's determined to ruin us, Ethan."

"She's protecting her children!" Ethan barked. "Something which you clearly don't care about."

Olivia's eyes flashed in anger. "I care more than you know. That's why I did this. To protect what's ours."

"What's ours?" Ethan mocked. "You mean your twisted schemes? This is not protection, Olivia; it's a death wish."

She took another step closer, her voice low and sharp. "You don't understand. If Bernice exposes us, we lose everything. You, me, everything we've worked for."

Ethan shook his head, his mind reeling from the impossibility of this all. "This isn't working towards anything. This is something waiting to go wrong."

Olivia's eyes flashed, her gaze slitting. "You have always been so cautious. Sometimes, one has to take a few risks."

"This isn't a risk," Ethan said back, cold. "It's a crime.”

There was an uncomfortable silence between them. Luca watched, shaking where he sat. The soft glow in Ethan's eyes fell when he looked down at the boy, crouching. His voice softened.

"Luca, you okay?"

Luca nodded, his eyes wide with fear.

"I'm going get you out of here and send you to your mummy."

"No, you're not," Olivia said, pushing between them. "He stays."

Ethan towered over her. "You can't be serious."

"Dead serious," Olivia spat back. "He's our only bargaining chip."

Ethan gave her an icy glance. His mind whirred on. "Bargaining chip? Against whom? Bernice or Rafael?"

"Both," Olivia responded, without batting an eyelid.

His pectorals flexed tight. "Rafael's back in Rome. With Bernice. You have any idea what that means?"

Olivia smiled unruffled. "Let them be. They won't find anything."

"They will," Ethan said, his tone escalating. "You think Rafael's just sitting around? He's intelligent. And my guess is that he already found out that the twins are his.”

"If that's the case, we have to do something. " Olivia broke in, cold.

Ethan pressed closer to her, speaking in a sharp whisper. "You can't keep everything locked down tight. This is snowballing."

"I have a plan," Olivia said, pragmatic.

“A plan?" Ethan's laugh was a bit hollow. "You actually think this is under control? That we're not standing on the brink of disaster, and that this is something you do have a plan for?"

"Yes," Olivia said, her tone unwavering. "I've thought this out."

Ethan's eyes narrowed. "Then tell me. What's the plan?"

Olivia gave him a smile that wasn't quite right. "You'll find out soon enough."

Ethan's heart did a somersault. There was just something about her tone, and in her words, dark. She's hiding something.

"What are you not telling me?" he barked.

Olivia shrugged and cast her face away. "You don't need to know. Just trust me."

"I stopped trusting you a long time ago," Ethan spat back.

Olivia's eyes again flashed up at him, again unreadable. "Then maybe you should reconsider where your loyalties lie."

Ethan clenched his fists, rage and fear boiling beneath the surface. He couldn't shake the feeling that whatever Olivia was planning, it was bigger than he realized.

He turned back to Luca, his voice softening. "Hang in there, kid. I'll figure this out."

Luca nodded, though his eyes remained wary.

Ethan straightened, his eyes locking with Olivia's. "This isn't over."

She cocked to one side, the makings of a teasing smile on her lips. "No, it's only just beginning."

Ethan's gut twisted as he stormed out of the warehouse, his mind reeling with possibilities. He had no idea what Olivia had in mind, but one thing was for sure: this would not end well.